Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages
The Dingy Skipper is a small, brown butterfly with distinctive white-spotted forewings and a robust, moth-like appearance that distinguishes it from other skippers. This species plays a crucial ecological role as both a pollinator of wildflowers and as part of grassland food webs, with its caterpillars feeding exclusively on bird's-foot trefoil and other leguminous plants.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Ian Boyd, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Lepidoptera
Family
Hesperiidae
Genus
Erynnis
Dingy Skipper belongs to the family Hesperiidae, order Lepidoptera, within the Insecta class.
Species Profile
The Dingy Skipper is a small, brown butterfly with distinctive white-spotted forewings and a robust, moth-like appearance that distinguishes it from other skippers. This species plays a crucial ecological role as both a pollinator of wildflowers and as part of grassland food webs, with its caterpillars feeding exclusively on bird's-foot trefoil and other leguminous plants.
The Dingy Skipper has experienced severe population declines across much of its range due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland habitats. Agricultural intensification, abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and urban development have eliminated or fragmented the flower-rich grasslands and scrubland edges this species requires for breeding and feeding.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Dingy Skippers inhabit chalk downs, limestone grasslands, coastal dunes, and railway embankments where bird's-foot trefoil grows abundantly. They require a mosaic of short, grazed turf for egg-laying and longer grass areas that provide shelter and nectar sources.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Dingy Skipper has experienced severe population declines across much of its range due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized grassland habitats. Agricultural intensification, abandonment of traditional grazing practices, and urban development have eliminated or fragmented the flower-rich grasslands and scrubland edges this species requires for breeding and feeding.
Abandonment of traditional grazing management
Habitat loss from agricultural intensification
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Climate change altering suitable habitat conditions
Habitat fragmentation reducing population connectivity
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/dingy-skipper